2:7 Valda Jackson Biography Black Bristolians 2:7:93 Valda Jackson Valda Photo courtesy of Valda Jackson Photo courtesy of Valda However, Valda was dismayed Valda However, by the way that Black people in art. represented were and films Paintings, sculpture, usually showed them in a or entertaining serving role others. As a visual artist, Valda understood very well how much these images could influence lives. people’s Photo courtesy of Valda Jackson Photo courtesy of Valda Self portrait of Valda – pictured as child and adult – pictured Self portrait of Valda Place of birth: St. Thomas, Jamaica Place of birth: in : 1986 Date of arrival artist who makes paintings is a gifted Valda her art from sculptures in oils and beautiful and graceful Her strong studio in Bristol. African-Caribbean usually of images are people. and her two sisters travelled to Valda Jamaica in 1964 Birmingham, from that remembers She to join their parents. was school in the 1960s and 1970s were racist. They were the teachers and children frightening and that some of in their classes. All of the teachers and most not used to having Black pupils white. school were in her of the children that she attended at the Pentecostal Church says that the In contrast, Valda and a feeling of safety within a Black time gave her a sense of belonging isolation she felt in school. This helped her to cope with the community. painting, music and dance as a child, she did Although she enjoyed drawing, evening classes in not begin to study art until she left school. She attended levels in Art and Art History. Birmingham taking ‘A’ Ashton College of came to Bristol to study Fine Art at Bower In 1986 Valda of England. She lived in Art and Design, now the University of the West for the whole of her first year in Bristol. Valda Jackson Valda Biography

Photo courtesy of Valda Jackson Photo courtesy of Valda

. It is a tribute to the outside of the St. Paul’s Family & Learning Centre outside of the St. Paul’s Father and Child, a detail from the relief seen on the the relief Father and Child, a detail from

All Our Tomorrows

”

I feel that the portrayal of the women on the canvas has I feel that the portrayal of the women on the canvas “ Valda quotes a message written in the ‘comments’ book by a visitor to her Valda her decision to make art: strengthened which first solo show in St. Paul’s importance of education and celebrates the diverse cultures within St. Paul’s celebrates the diverse cultures importance of education and and Bristol as a whole. schools and colleges and in has taught drawing, painting and sculpture Valda the South West has worked throughout she recently, universities. More Primary and Avenue artist in Millpond for example as a resident region, Nursery Schools. She realised how important it was for her to make real and honest pictures of pictures and honest to make real it was for her important how She realised successfully fought Valda and children. men, women and other Black herself paint. From to draw and for the students Black model to have a the college her. work that was important to able to make the sort of was then on Valda Bristol, but her artwork in Malcolm X Centre first exhibition was at the Valda’s including the the country, shown in exhibitions throughout has now been also be seen can Her sculptures Portrait Gallery in London. famous National in England and Wales. in several places for the an artwork to create invited by Bristol City Council was In 2002 Valda an to create She decided new Family and Learning in St. Paul’s. Centre a painted mural. This can be seen on the artwork with bricks rather than outside end wall and is called captured the whole history and feeling of our race. I found it captured deeply moving.

Black Bristolians 2:7:94 2:7 Valda Jackson Teachers’ Background Notes Black Bristolians 2:7:95 Teachers’ Background Notes Background Teachers’ In contrast, for Valda, the Pentecostal Church that she attended provided a more that she attended provided Church the Pentecostal In contrast, for Valda, It gave her a sense of belonging and a feeling of balancing influence on her life. to cope with helped Valda and this environment safety within a Black community the isolation experienced in school. enjoyed in art, and although she was not encouraged to have a career Valda dance as a child she did not actually begin to study drawing, painting, music and evening classes at Bournevilleart until she left school. She attended College of levels in Art and Art History. Art, Birmingham, taking ‘A’ Art at College of Art came to Bristol to study Fine In 1986, Valda of of the West and Design, then part of Bristol Polytechnic now the University newcomer to Bristol, Valda As a England. In her first year she lived in Hartcliffe. any racial neighbours, and bus drivers from by her landlady, felt protected for the whole of in the neighbourhood tension which existed and she remained her first year of studies. was not the first Black student to attend Bower Ashton, but she was the Valda It was quite an isolating only Black student studying Fine Art in her year. of exclusion and the experience for her and she struggled with her own feelings in other people. lack of awareness in art. Paintings, represented was dismayed at how Black people were Valda or entertaining others. role and films usually showed them in a serving sculpture, images to As a visual artist, she understood very well the power of these influence lives. She remembers that school in the 1960s and 1970s was, for her, frightening and that school in the 1960s and 1970s was, for her, She remembers white. Many in her school were of the children racist. All of the teachers and most racist. in their class and some were to having Black children not used teachers were remembers Valda and verbally abused her. She says that one teacher physically to a teacher about a girl who kept on calling her an that when her sister complained you are!” was “Well, response teacher’s insulting and racist name, the Valda is a gifted artist who makes paintings in oils and beautiful sculptures from oils and beautiful sculptures who makes paintings in is a gifted artist Valda of African-Caribbean mainly people Her subjects are her studio in Bristol. and grace. with honesty represented heritage who are to Birmingham, England Jamaica her two older sisters from travelled with Valda other people from invited along with many who were their parents in 1964 to join that we live in today. to work and help build the Britain the Caribbean Valda Jackson Valda in eativity. . It is a tribute to Mare and Foal All Our Tomorrows She realised how important it was for her to make real and honest to make real it was for her important how She realised She and children. Black men, women and other of herself representations by the provided the white models time drawing to spend less decided that the college should thought student, Valda college. As a fee-paying he said that she put this to her tutor, at least one Black model. When provide Valda and final year, her third during was “perverse”. However, the request to pay and the college agreed herself a young Black model managed to find was able to then on Valda other models. From as they did for the for her, to her. of work that was important make the sort Her first exhibition the country. throughout work has been exhibited Valda’s in Bristol. She exhibited at the Morley X Centre was in 1990 at the Malcolm and was a prizewinner for two years running in London Westminster Gallery, in 1991 and 1992. She has also exhibited in the Millfield Open Art Exhibition, London. Gallery, work at the National Portrait and can be seen in several places in England public art sculptures Valda’s a life-size carving called In 1995 she produced Wales. Newmarket. In 2000 she created a public sculpture of a steam engine, which of a steam engine, a public sculpture Newmarket. In 2000 she created Wales. in Newport City Centre, is sited at Station Approach an artwork for the was invited by Bristol City Council in 2002 to create Valda She decided Learningend wall of the new Family and in St. Paul’s. Centre rather than a painted mural. The artwork can upon a permanent brick relief and is called be seen on the outside wall within St. and celebrates the diverse cultures the importance of education and Bristol. Paul’s in a number of institutions. has taught drawing, painting and sculpture Valda in Design, and she lectured Institute of Art and She was a tutor at Cardiff Fine Art at the University of Central England in Birmingham. the has worked in schools and colleges throughout Valda recently, More artist at Millpond Primary School, including being resident region South West School. and drawing and portrait workshops at Sea Mills Primary Nursery School working with artist at Filton Avenue resident is currently Valda and develop their cr to help them to explore and staff the children a message in Bristol wrote in St. Paul’s, first solo show A visitor to Valda’s her decision and strengthened the comments book that encouraged Valda to make art. The message read: the has captured “I feel that the portrayal of the women on the canvas moving.” whole history and feeling of our race… I found it deeply

Black Bristolians 2:7:96 2:7 Valda Jackson Suggested Activities Black Bristolians 2:7:97 KS3 Activities Pentecostal Church Pentecostal Compare beliefs with those of the of Church England/Roman Catholic e.g. style of worship, music, membership, celebrations. Invite the above leaders from movements to be interviewed. Portrait gallery National Portrait Visit Gallery website http://www.npg.org.uk (Art) Sculptures or look at photo of Visit sculptures. Valda’s Look at statue of Nelson Mandela. Research materials from different are which sculptures personal made. Share preferences. (Art). Portraits mediums to Use different portraits of each create other. effects Discuss different and pupils’ preferences. Visit National Portrait Gallery website http://www.npg.org.uk Asking Questions Pupils to Read biography. they underline where want to ask a question. to discuss and Groups choose one question to ask the class. questions from Share and discuss. groups Art project Invite an artist into school to interview or work with the pupils on a project. Suggested Activities Suggested Foundation Stage/ KS1 ActivitiesVisit on the sculpture Valda’s Learning side of St. Paul’s KS2 Activities and/or look at Centre of her other pictures sculptures.* Make our own sculptures. Investigate art Look at art in the local and pictures Take area. use to discuss what we like and what we don’t. Visit or look at an work. example of Valda’s Describe the style. our it improve Would local area? Portraits pencils, pens, Provide chalks, pastels, paints etc including skin colour sets to encourage and mirrors pupils to make a self portrait. and Discuss skin colour, use as opportunity to make accurate of skin representations colour in a variety of mediums. *See the resource list for details *See the resource These are suggested activities based on Valda Jackson’s biography. The biography. Jackson’s on Valda suggested activities based These are plan on following pages. print have a detailed lesson activities in bold Valda Jackson Valda 2:7 Valda Jackson Lesson Plan Black Bristolians 2:7:99

FS/KS1 Lesson Plan: Art in the Local Community Art in the Local Lesson Plan: art. justify preferences. environment. the local whether it would improve work. Valda’s *See the resource list for details *See the resource Assessment opportunities Language of observation. involvement Homework task/Parent/Carer by family magazines, newspaper etc. liked or works of art from find pictures To own art piece. pupil’s into class to help create/develop members. Invite parent/carer Plenary • work that they have created. to share Pupils • pupils to show and justify preference. Encourage Learning outcome/Success criterias • can show and justify preference. Pupils • their own art piece. have created Pupils • to the field of know that Black and minority ethnic people have contributed Pupils Suggested activities • and show her picture. biography Valda’s Share • environment. of art in the locality of school pictures Take • to like. Encourage pupils to give reason we don’t what we like and what Discuss • about her work and discuss work. Talk or look at examples of Valda’s Visit • styles of on the discussion about the different own art piece, building Create Key words/phrases ResourcesDescriptive wordsQuestion words of artist Biography/picture Why/because Camera class Whole Organisation/Grouping Groups Learning objectives •that of others. to own work and in response feelings and preferences express To • learn artist. about the work of one To • learn to the field of Art. ethnic people have contributed that Black and minority To (FS - CLL/CD, KS1 - DT) (FS - CLL/CD, Valda Jackson Valda (Art) Lesson Plan: Portraits Lesson Plan: pose, what is included in the portrait and why. pose, what is included in the portrait portraits. Bristol. *See the resource list for details *See the resource Homework task or Parent/Carer involvement Homework task or Parent/Carer favourite piece of art. favourite artist. Find out about parents’/carers’ about Talk favourite art database for display. Create Assessment opportunities Artistic skills. Plenary • portraits with class. Share Learning criterias outcome/Success • aspects of drawing portraits. know about different Pupils • to draw portraits. mediums to use different able Pupils are • Jackson and her contribution to art in Bristol. know about Valda Pupils Suggested activities • and look at her portraits. biography/pictures Valda’s Share • a portrait. Discuss aspects of the portrait e.g. working in pairs look at Pupils • Display to draw a portrait of each other. use a variety of mediums Pupils Key words/phrases ResourcesPortraitsGallery biography/picture Jackson’s Valda Collection of portraits class Whole Organisation/Grouping Pairs Learning objectives • drawing portraits. aspects of learn about different To • to draw portraits. use a variety of mediums To • to the field of Art in ethnic people contribute know how Black and minority To Valda Jackson Valda

KS2 Black Bristolians 2:7:100 2:7 Valda Jackson Lesson Plan Black Bristolians 2:7:101

KS3KS0 (RE/PSHE) Lesson Plan: Christian beliefs Christian beliefs Lesson Plan: Christianity. environment, politics etc. environment, leaders. survey to interview two Christian church Catholic movements devise a used: Style of worship, prayer, The following headings could be in small groups. Work a member. music/instruments, becoming and that of Church of England or Roman Catholic beliefs. of England or Roman Catholic and that of Church *See the resource list for details *See the resource Homework task or Parent/Carer involvement Homework task or Parent/Carer family beliefs. about Talk Learning outcome/Success criterias • will know about Christian beliefs. Pupils • in movements between different will know similarities and differences Pupils • Jackson and her contribution to Bristol. will know about Valda Pupils Plenary • discussion with whole class. main points of group Share Suggested activities • and pictures. biography Jackson’s Valda Read/share • traditions, culture our beliefs e.g. family, In pairs talk about beliefs/what shapes • of England and Roman Church on Pentecostal, Using information provided • leaders. Make notes and write up for display. Interview the church Key words/phrases ResourcesChristian/Christianity biography/picture. Jackson’s Valda Pentecostal of EnglandChurch Whole class Roman Catholic of England and Church Beliefs Information on Pentecostal, Faith Roman Catholic beliefs. Movement Small groups leaders Christian church Organisation/Grouping Matters of Faith folder – Bristol SACRE* Learning objectives • know about Christian beliefs. To • movement between the Pentecostal learn differences about similarities and To • to Bristol. ethnic people contribute know how Black and minority To Valda Jackson Valda 2:7 Valda Jackson Resources Black Bristolians 2:7:103 Resources Willing to come into school to talk to pupils?Willing to come into school Yes Tel:Email:teachersWilling to be contacted by for further questions? 0117 903 8828/0117 944 2004 [email protected] Yes Contact details Name: Jackson Valda • Gallery – http://www.npg.org.uk National Portrait • all Bristol schools. folder – Bristol SACRE in Matters of Faith Valda Jackson Valda